Flood recedes but life still hard for victims

Balasore, Aug 25 (Odisha.in) With the floodwaters in river Subarnarekha started receding since Thursday, the flood situation in the northern parts of Balasore district improved Saturday.

But still more than 50,000 residents of over 58 villages in Bhogarai, Baliapal and Jaleswar blocks of the district are surrounded with water. A visit to these villages tells the horrible tales of the local residents.

A case in a point is Gadasahi-Baliapal village in Jaleswar block which is marooned since last seven days. This village also was marooned for over a week in July first week floods. With Subarnarekha in spate for days together miseries of the villagers also overflows.

The residents have been forced to stay without food and shelter. While some have taken shelter on trees, two families were seen floating on rafts and many others were in the village school.

But there was a single complaint they made that they had not received any relief materials. “We are starving since Saturday. But not a single kilo of flattened rice or rice has reached us. We are also yet to get a piece of polythene,” alleged Pina Tudu, an elderly woman.

It is for the first time that this village is affected with flash floods. “This is the fourth flood we are facing in this season. As our village is situated in bank of Subarnarekha river we face the fury of the nature every year. But the district administration is yet to take any permanent measures,” claimed Banshidhar Giri, a local resident.

People claimed as the breached embankment of the river was not repaired we were badly hit. “Last time Collector had visited the village and assured us to repair the breach soon. But nothing was done then as a result the village was washes away,” claimed Nikunja Behari Dhal, another villager.

Meanwhile, the district administration claimed the relief has been distributed. “We have rescued the marooned villagers and provided relief on Thursday evening,” Collector Alekh Chandra Padhiary said.

On the repairing of breaches, he said, “There is no let up from torrential rain. What can we do? In which places we had repaired in the first week of August all have been washed away. We have to wait till the end of monsoon season to repair all the breaches.”